Autonomous cars, having no real prevailing predators, safety teams too good at their culturing and databases on craziness means humans have a fat spread that really can't be carried. Medicine is advancing at a rate of knots and retirement funds can't rest on the virtual ocelots forever.

How about
allowing the construction of deathtraps. These can be built in public areas and incorporated into home architecture. The deathtraps will be clearly marked but of course will be a rite of passage with those of an age that want to tempt fate. The mechanism can be wide and varied but must adhere to the rules of being humane and having a non return event horizon of finality. Cleanup should involve returning as many nutrients to the cycle of life as possible.

I can see this idea is a bit premature as humanities population plight is probably not at such desperate levels and our current morality opens up this appliance to misuse and indignation. Worth a thought though, for the future and it's generations.

And I would also say the traps will free up the safety officers to concentrate on maiming situations but the doctors will have that covered. Of course, if humanity makes it out of our earthly orbit, death will be back at true levels of normalcy.

Would they merely use a hollow spike to impale the fuel tank and suck it dry before discarding the rest of the vehicle, or would they also partially disassemble the victim and use the spare parts for repairing / upgrading themselves?

We disagree; suicide booths are highly Darwinian. They allow those with self destructive impulses to quickly and painlessly eliminate themsleves from the gene pool, ensuring those genes do not propagate.

There might be unforseen consequences, of course, but we don't know what they are.

You mean education ? Low birth rates are closely correlated to a wealthy, sophisticated populace. Japan is the best example of this trend. Individuals and couples choose personal benefits rather than expending time and resource on raising offspring; even those that do tend to have fewer than even the minimum replacement rate requires.

Given the choice, most people act selfishly - and now, they have that choice.

// Not sure where this leaves civilisation. //

Swimming around in your oceans, making whistling noises to one another. Ir's an interesting concept, maybe your species will try it sometime - before it dies out, that is.

I wonder if it was some dolphin like creature that created the megalithic walls. And just in case you try to cheaply knock down another anno :- well obviously by growing appendages and inventing concrete first.